Oregon man still missing one year later

A Gresham, Ore., man who was the focus of a large-scale, foul-weather search in Skamania County nearly a year ago is still missing, a Gresham police spokesman said Wednesday.

David Mekvold, then 42, was reported missing to Gresham police in December, 2010. A day later, after finding his pickup near Beacon Rock, deputies with the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office learned he was missing, officials said.

Deputies then called in searchers, who looked for him until after nightfall for about three days.

Approximately 20 searchers with several search dogs worked around a gravel road where a pickup belonging to Mekvold was found.

Working in rainy, snowy and windy conditions, with temperatures in the mid-30s, they later expanded the search area to the south, across the BNSF Railway tracks to the Columbia River, Undersheriff Dave Cox said at the time. With a low cloud ceiling, visibility was too poor for helicopters or other aircraft to operate safely.

Officials finally decided to suspend the search because there had been no information uncovered about Mekvold’s whereabouts, Cox said.

Officials said there was no indication of foul play at the truck and they hadn’t heard any reason why Mekvold would disappear or what his mindset was at the time.